The European Commission today adopted a series of
initiatives aimed at making freight transport in the EU more efficient and
sustainable. This new package of measures consists of proposals concerning
logistics, a rail network giving priority to freight, and European ports, as
well as two documents on the barrier-free European maritime transport area and
the motorways of the sea. The simultaneous adoption of all these measures gives
a strong signal demonstrating the close links between logistics and the various
modes of transport. The common objective of these initiatives is to promote
innovative infrastructure technologies and practices, develop means of
transport, improve freight management, facilitate the construction of freight
transport chains, simplify administrative procedures and enhance quality
throughout the logistic chain.

"Europe needs efficient, integrated transport alternatives that are both
environment-friendly and user-friendly. The measures which I have presented
today will also make rail, maritime and inland waterway transport more
attractive and more competitive in the context of co-modality", said Jacques
Barrot, Commission Vice-President with special responsibility for transport.
"The integration of these modes of transport into efficient logistic chains is
essential in order to reconcile the economic efficiency and long-term
development of transport".

On the basis of the findings of a wide-ranging consultation starting in the
summer of 2006, the logistics action plan proposes 30 or so measures aimed at
making freight transport in the EU more efficient and sustainable, while
reducing costs and saving both time and energy. The action plan aims to improve
the flow of information accompanying the physical transport of goods, simplify
administrative procedures, improve the competence and attractiveness of the
logistics sector, and encourage high-quality services. It also advocates
innovation in logistics in the urban environment and in long-distance transport
concentred in "green
corridors".[1]

The Commission is promoting maritime transport, which remains the mode that
is the most environment-friendly and energy-efficient in terms of greenhouse-gas
emissions. The simplification of administrative procedures for maritime
transport within the EU is essential in order to make this mode of transport
more attractive. The documents on the European maritime transport area and the
motorways of the sea[2]
demonstrate the progress made with the preparation of these two initiatives and
invite all stakeholders to give their opinions. The communication on European
ports policy is aimed at facilitating the development of an efficient port
system in Europe that will be capable of meeting current and future transport
needs. It sets out an action plan for the Commission to help European ports
address challenges such as the increase in transport demand, technological
changes and the need to reduce emissions.

Given the steady increase in the efficiency of road transport, rail transport
also needs to become more competitive. The Commission’s objective is to
promote the creation of a European freight network on which freight transport
could offer a better quality of service in terms of journey times, reliability
and capacity. To supplement the measures already taken (such as the deployment
of ERTMS[3] on routes identified as
having priority or the construction of major infrastructures for the
trans-European transport network), the Commission is proposing new initiatives
with a view to creating a European freight-orientated network in which the
service will be more reliable and more efficient than at present.

Freight transport is essential for the competitiveness of the European
economy and for the quality of life of EU citizens. It is estimated that the
volumes of goods transported in Europe will increase by 50% between 2000 and
2020. In the years ahead, freight transport must address the challenges of
efficiency, quality and sustainability. It will therefore need to come up with
suitable responses to the problems of congestion, climate change (freight
transport is responsible for one third of the CO2 emissions arising
from transport[4]), and energy supply
and security. At the same time, the new information and communication
technologies and the influence of European freight transport on the global
market offer major opportunities for the future.For more information on
freight transport in Europe:

[1] Green corridors use
different modes of transport in combination for an integrated, energy-efficient
door-to-door service that respects the environment and the quality of life of
Europeans.

[2] These major maritime
routes between EU Member States offer the possibility of high-quality scheduled
services which, combined with other modes of transport, guarantee shorter and
quicker access to certain outlying regions in Europe and make it possible to
avoid natural barriers such as the Alps and Pyrenees. The motorways of the sea
play an important role in restructuring long-distance freight transport in
Europe and improving its sustainability.

[3] The purpose of ERTMS
(European Rail Traffic Management System) is to overcome the fragmentation of
rail traffic control systems in Europe and develop safe, free-flowing rail
traffic.